Man sues Bank of America for $1,784 billion trillion
Filed under: Bank of America
America has its share of ambitious people. But it is almost guaranteed that none in its lengthy history have filed a lawsuit against a bank for more money than Dalton Chiscolm. If my math is correct, Chiscolm is suing Bank of America (BAC) for over $1.78 septillion -- a septillion is 1 with 24 zeros after it. If Bank of America agreed to pay what its customer is asking, it would wipe out the bank's $196 billion in common equity 9.1 trillion times over.
According to Reuters, Chiscolm was unhappy because Bank of America would not deposit some of his checks due to problems with their routing numbers. And his efforts to solve the problem with the help of a "Spanish womn" were unsatisfactory. Chiscolm's lawsuit requests damages for his suffering, specifically, he asks that "1,784 billion, trillion dollars" be deposited into his ATM account the next day. He also demanded an additional $200,164,000."
Although Chiscolm's request sounds reasonable to me, I am not a judge. The judge in his case, U.S. District Judge Denny Chin, described his complaint as "incomprehensible." What's so hard to understand about the request? Chiscolm is angry with Bank of America and wants it to pay him about 30 billion times the world's total GDP of $60 trillion.
Maybe it's time for the U.S. government to step in and bail out Bank of America so it can pay him -- after the $45 billion it's received so far, what's an extra septillion?
Update. This is not his first lawsuit. In Janaury 2009, Chiscolm sued his landlord for $892 million billion dollars -- or $892 quadrillion. In his January complaint, Chiscolm alleged that "Manerment nor mainterntmen had no atcuse's to go in my apartment what so ever I had to keep a lock no the kichen cabernit." The court dismissed his complaint.
Peter Cohan is a management consultant, Babson professor and author of eight books including, You Can't Order Change. Follow him on Twitter. He has no financial interest in the securities mentioned.



























Reader Comments (Page 1 of 23)
9-25-2009 @ 5:53PM
andylepore said...
I agree the Bank of America has the worst customer service, especially their phone support, and their tellers have an attitude. Must be a crappy company to work for.
Reply
9-25-2009 @ 10:44PM
Alfred Saunders said...
It is only a bad place to work for people who actually work. It is a good place to work if you are a lazy, leftist, bum.
9-28-2009 @ 8:14AM
Victoria said...
To: Andylapore
I used to be a Bank Of America Associate for 10/05 to 2/08 working as a teller and cash vault services. It's not a bad bank to work for or have an account with as lot of people make it out to be. If not for medical issues I'd still be there and I tend to go back in due time. I'm assuming that the tellers you've came upon had attitudes. But you can't speak for all tellers. Because I loved my job I treat my customers with the utmost respect the way I'd want to be treated in return. And I say that on a mature level because i'll be 35 next year. God Bless Victoria
9-28-2009 @ 8:26AM
Ruth said...
Where I live in Cape Coral, Fl we have the best Bank of America ever. everyone is so friendly and customer service , well you can not get any better. I say leave BoA alone
9-28-2009 @ 8:32AM
Hugh said...
I agree, BAC sucks. I canceled my account with them years ago and wouldn't do business with them again, ever. Crappy interest, lousy service and nasty people.
9-28-2009 @ 11:52AM
Danny said...
Here's the thing, most banking systems have problems, no argument there. Bad employees in general are also across the the system, again no argument. Funny thing is when someone sues for something that an intelligent (assuming) individual could recognize ludicrous number is just begging to be laughed at one, and secondly the moron attorney that is following through with the lawsuit, and should he lose (assuming 'again'). Professionally I think all his attorney pals should get together in front of his office and laugh hysterically at him and his client for something as asinine as this lawsuit. An intelligent judge (From reputation) should pretty much through it out of court, just deport him already just purely for being an idiot:)
9-28-2009 @ 12:35PM
Jo Ho said...
You are so right, they are the worse bank. They work at making sure you over draft or have insufficient funds. They have been doing it ever since they opened here. I would never advise anyone to go to this bank. I cna't clos emy acct. as we set everythign up in it, and now it involves to much to close the acct.
9-28-2009 @ 12:52PM
Tweet said...
I agree with you. They act like their mad cause you want business with them!! and they scamming you anyway!! Charging u all these bull**t fees just because, and give u all kinds of excuses why they can do it. I hate them and will never do business with them again nor my entire family. I tried to close my account and they hit me with some fee talking about cause their is no money in my account.....duhhhh cause i want to close the account u moron!!
9-28-2009 @ 1:03PM
Trizone said...
There used to be a time when customer service meant the customer was treated with respect, care and consideration. The CS reps, managers, and tellers were trained well and evaluated for their performance. I'm certain that just as the quality of upper level management has hit it's lowest possible worth, so has the level of CS reps managing and servicing our accounts. Bring in a turnaround specialist to clean house!
9-28-2009 @ 2:00PM
juzme said...
Did you ever think that maybe those tellers have an attitude no matter where they work. If you get bad service or a rude teller, the company can only change that if you make an effort to make them aware of the problem. They always give their name, write it down and if you are unhappy with the way you are treated, you can make the company aware of it. This is true of any business you deal with. Of course it is easier just to complain on the boards about it, I guess.
9-28-2009 @ 2:29PM
ATHELSTAN said...
Dalton's experience illustrates a fundamental problem with the banks which can only be resolved not by suing them, but by sending the bankers to the guillotine ,seizing their assets, and distributing them to the poor, children, and the elderly. Especially those who have been the victims most hurt by this the greatest fraud in the history of western civilizaiton.
Bernie Madoff needs to have plenty of company in prison. Like roughly half of the island of Manhattan.
9-28-2009 @ 2:02PM
David said...
This guy sounds an awful lot like former Vice-president Cheney.
9-28-2009 @ 2:20PM
Mary Ann said...
No, VERIZON WIRELESS has the worst customer service! I am still attempting to resolve an issue with them that stems from Hurricane Wilma! They train their customer service reps to respond like robots. After being placed onn hold for 30 minutes, you have the joy of speaking with one of their robots who knows nothing about customer service.
9-29-2009 @ 11:23PM
JB said...
BOA has a horrible customer service. I have been dealing with it since May and we are now looking for a new bank. Last May my purse was stolen, while still at the park where the theft took place, we tried to contact BOA to stop the cards. It took 30 minutes to get a real human. Then they would not assure me the cards had been cancelled and let me go, they wanted to sell me theft insurance. When I told them I was trying to talk to the police the woman on the other end said "Don't get angry with me." Then I did get angry. It was uncalled for. The next incident happen a couple of weeks ago when I went to deposit a check in another bank. It was a faily large sum and and they needed to verify funds. BOA wouldn't verify the funds. I was furious. Everytime I go into the bank there seems to be "new employees" that do not know what they are doing. They do not speak good english and then get very rude when you don't understand them. It took me from 9:00 am in the morning till 2:30 in the afternoon just to make a wire transfer because of all the inept employee's. They lost our business.
10-01-2009 @ 1:23PM
David said...
Bank Of America is a great bank to work for, IF you are an EXECUTIVE. Regardless of how the bank is doing, you get a big pay check and a HUGE BONUS. Only in America.
10-07-2009 @ 1:18PM
chris0606 said...
Bank of America is actually a very good place to work. It has wonderful benefits for part-timers, and also has endless oppertinities for the driven. Don't knock a company because of an idiot like this. It makes you look like his best friend and neighbor.
9-25-2009 @ 5:52PM
andy said...
BANK OF AMERICA KISSES THE CUSTOMERS BUTT WHEN THEY WALK IN THE DOOR AND PAY THE WORST INTEREST AND HAVE THE HIGHEST FEES.THEY CATER TO THE ELDERLY AND IT WORKS.MY MOTHER KEEPS HER MONEY THEIR.
Reply
9-26-2009 @ 9:42AM
lilokie said...
They don't just cater to the elderly but also to the mexicains.
They can wire money to Mexico free, but if we want to wire money to another state example: California to Oregon, it cost us.
9-28-2009 @ 8:20AM
Nate said...
There not their. Guessing you don't have a lot of money.
9-28-2009 @ 12:46PM
Trizone said...
Andy, "MY MOTHER KEEPS HER MONEY THEIR."
try "there" geez! Personally, there would not be enough money in the world to pay me, once you've had to deal with these customer service people on the phone.